Commission President-designate Barroso unveils his Team

Publication date: 12 August 2004

Today, José Manuel Barroso, President-designate of the European Commission, announced the policy portfolios he has allocated to each member of his team. The decisions follow detailed consultations with each nominee Commissioner. The new Commission will take office on 1 November, subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament. The European Parliament can only vote on the whole body and not on individual Commissioners.

The main changes to the current situation introduced by José Manuel Barroso are:
- The President personally chairing the group of Commissioners on external relations and on the Lisbon Strategy.
- A new job of Vice-President for institutional relations and communication strategy
- A Vice-President ensuring a coherent Commission approach in the Competitiveness Council
- The highest proportion of women Commissioners ever
- Split of current portfolios: transport and energy; agriculture and fisheries; internal market and taxation
- A greater use of task forces to anticipate policy issues
- Grouping Commissioners in the same building (Berlaymont)
- Separating financial control from budgetary affairs and appoint a Vice-President to oversee sound management

For further information:
- Overview of the 25 Members of the Barroso Commission
- Portfolio Responsibilities in Detail (Commission Press Release IP/04/1030)

ip_04_1030.pdf (87 KB)

Next steps
The team will meet for the first time for an informal session on Friday 20 August in Brussels. It must gain the confidence of and win approval from the European Parliament before 1 November. Commissioners will appear in individual hearings before Parliamentary committees. These will take place in the two weeks beginning 27 September. Once the Parliament has given its approval, the team will work on developing its political vision and a detailed programme for the next five years. According to the Treaty establishing a European Constitution, the EU Minister for Foreign Affairs will enter into the Commission as Vice-President upon ratification of the Constitution.